Life's Color: Just last night, he was here, even now

“Centering Life in Christ” is the theme of our recollection. This focuses our lives as brothers who are also focusing on studies, community and fraternity, as well as with our own apostolate that somehow gives inspiration and source for our prayer life. Life without prayer is a life that is meaningless or dry and not a life-giving presence to others. We are in communion with each others as brothers in Christ. Prayer gives dynamic day to day living as it reflects on how we relate to the author of everything. We do many things everyday, preoccupied with things that sometimes, are not necessary; acting like busybodies yet nothing are done so meaningfully, thus don’t give real presence of our giftedness in God.

We may ask ourselves of the questions that we can’t just answer because we tend to deny the fact about ourselves, about our own weaknesses and limitations; that we also need to take a rest for a while sometimes. We are not built as machines that never think and reflect of what are happening within and without. We are created with a unique capability to transcend beyond what we physically and mentally perceive; such creature that can praise and curse; can love and hate.

Everything, we may say, is fine but how long will it be fine? Unless we begin to recognize our selves, our own very self, we may find ourselves gazing heavenward making our souls and spirits shout beyond our own understanding. We bless God’s creation, so others, too. Life like this is an ordinary experience of a man like a mystic. Life like this starts to recognize the redemption graced through Christ Jesus, he who revealed God’s love in every creation. “Where can I find it?” It’s just here, it’s with you. Christ gave us the Holy Spirit to stay with us, and that is the same Spirit who lived with the saints and holy people, same Spirit who prompts us, move us into prayer like today as we try to make Christ the center of our daily lives.

We may start giving up our own selves but as human tends to forget; we don’t need to do a big leap. Day by day, Christ invites us to reflect and experience his unending love that lives among us. The difficulty of doing so, living so, is not the end of everything, but it is a means for us to be grounded, to realize, that we still need Christ’s presence as we try to see him, feel him, touch, hear and listen to him today…

Serene

Serene desert day...done this again for me

Failed

Failed to call you now, When will be the time again, Here's melancholy...

Abstract

Life is sometimes, very abstract...

Gone,again

Gone, gone, it's gone, The Southwind in the mind, Silence once again...

Presentation, Day of Consecration

Good morning my Brothers ans Siters,

In our Gospel today, Mary fulfilled the Jewish rite of purification after childbirth. Since she could not afford the customary offering of a lamb, she gave instead two pigeons as an offering of the poor. The rite, along with the circumcision and the redemption of the first born point to the fact that children are gifts from God. Mary and Joseph raised their son in the fear and wisdom of God. He in turn, was obedient to them and grew in wisdom and grace.

There was a significance of Simeon’s encounter with the child Jesus and his mother in the temple. Simeon was a just and devout man who was very much in tune with the Holy Spirit. When Mary and Joseph presented the baby Jesus in the temple, Simeon immediately recognized this humble child as the fulfillment of all messianic prophecies. Simeon prophesied that Jesus was to be “a revealing light to the Gentiles.” And this is now the day of candlemas for us. The candle is a symbol that reminds us that Jesus is the light of the world. As we celebrate also the day of Consecrated life, we ask the Lord, as consecrated people, to renew our faith in the indwelling presence of his Spirit with us. As the message of the Holy Father in his Encyclical Letter “DEUS CARITAS EST,” or “GOD IS LOVE,” more than anything, they must be persons moved by Christ’s love, persons whose hearts Christ has conquered with his love awakening within them a love of neighbor. The Pope is referring to the consecrated people whom the Spirit inspired to be like Simeon; saw the light and prophesied.

Simeon was not alone in recognizing the Lord’s presence in the temple. Anna, too, was filled with the Holy Spirit, hopeful that God’s promises would be fulfilled. Her hope in God’s promise fueled her zeal, deep prayer and service to God’s people.

Let us be hopeful and pray then that we shall allow the light of Christ to brighten every dark corner within us so that like Jesus, we might be light-bearer of the world, consecrated for his Glory.

Let's all stand and begin our celebration.